First, Im not sure where my air filter is on my troy built. Also, I my starter cord pulled out and wont wind back up. I got down to the clutch and cant figure out how to get the clutch off. What can I do?

Remove 4 screws that hold starter to housing, remove handle by cutting rope, notice how rope is wound and mark arrow on spool for direction, from drawing looks like there is a compression ring holding the spool in place, let tension of spring by allowing spool to unwind, Remove this ring very carefully to prevent damage. Remove spool carefully and let spring stay in starter housing. Rewind rope install in starter housing install compression ring wind cord in spool three turns pull through rope eyelet and install handle.

Drain oil from mower until proper level. Remove spark plug and pull starter rope several times to blow out cylinder. Spray starter fluid in cylinder pull rope several times to clean out. Replace fouled plug with new spark plug. Remove air cleaner, ensure no oil present, replace filter as needed. Clean air filter box with carb cleaner. Install new air filter reattach filter cover. Prime engine, pull starter rope 1/2 way 4 times to help prime, then pull starter rope fully up to 10 times to start.

Go to a hardware store and ask them if they have ant bulk pull starter rope. Buy about 3 feet or so of the small stuff (it is only 30 or 40 cents a foot, cheaper that the kits) Remove the motor cover with the pull start and turn it so you can see the wheel inside. Remove the knot that held the old rope in the handle and then cut the knot on the starter wheel and pull out the tag left in there.
Now the fun part. The wheel is spring loaded and the spring has no tension on it after the rope broke. Wind it up like a clock spring until it is tight then back off until the holes where the cord goes line up. Stick a small screw driver, nail, ect in the slot to keep it from unwinding . Do not tie the handle to the cord yet. Slide the new cord through the hole in the cover and wheel and then tie a knot in the cord and pull it snug in the wheel. Hold the rope and remove the pin and let the cord slowly wind itself up. Run the cord through the hole in the handle, Adjust to the length of pull you want and tie another knot.
Reinstall the motor cover (if it binds and wont go on, pull the rope just a little bit to line up the crank with starter wheel and it will slide down.)

It sounds a bit windy but it really is a simple fix.

The starter recoil spring may have possibly broke or the rope is hung up somewhere on or in the pulley. A lot of these units are assembled using Torx (Star) head screws and disassembly requires a couple different sizes to accomplish. Take your time...you will see the screw heads, but reloading a starter spring for a trimmer is a little tricky and you may need help doing so, but you can fix this yourself.

First pull your spark plug out reconnect to the plug wire and ground tot he engine body
Pull the starter cord and see if you have a good clean spark that goes to the electrode and not to the side of the spark plug.
If no spark check your off/on switch

I don't know exactly what you have there, but starters in general work pretty much the same. What you have to do with any starter when you replace the rope is to first wind the spring with the pulley. Turn the pulley in the direction it would be turning if you were pulling the rope. When it's wound tight, back off to align the rope hole in the cover and the pulley. Stick the rope through from the outside through the cover and pulley and tie a knot. Then let the spring tension pull the rope into the starter. Hope that helps. Dwain

these usually are threaded counter clockwise need a pair of channel locks to hold the flywheel then with the other hand crack nut open

take a light and look into the clutch hole
you will either need a torx or star type nut driver or a allen or hex head nut driver to fit in the hole and turn the screw ccw while holding the flywheel.
Make note where all comes off and all goes back in reverse when fixed.also after you remove the clutch housing you will be stareing at the clutch shoes next and it will have markings on which way to turn it for removal.

Replacing the spring on this tiller can be tough. You have to get the tension spring set into the stop and partially wind the tension (by turning the cord pulley) and THEN attach the cord before completing winding the tension spring. It took me about an hour to figure out how much preset of tension was needed before I was able to get it to work. You have to partially preset tension because starting from zero will not fully rewind the cord.

Remove the housing covering the clutch. The cord spool can then be accessed. Replace the cord. Be careful that you maintain the proper spool spring tension. Check operation before reassembling